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J. H. DUNBAR.

NAIL-PLATE EEEDEE. No. 287,368. Patented Oct. 28, 1883.

y UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JUNIUs H. DUNBAR, OF YOUNesTOwN, OHIO, AssiGNoR r ro HIMsELF AND FRANK BROWN, or SAME PLACE.

NAlL-PLATE FEEDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of-Letters I atent No. 287,368, dated October 23, 1883.

' Application filed June 20, 1883. (No model.) l f Tapa/ZZ whom, it may .conoci/mfg n Be it known that I, JUN'IUS H. DNBAR, of Youngstown, in the county of Mahoning and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Nail-Plate Feeders; and I do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description thereof. A My invention relates to an improvement in automatic nailplate feeders; and it consists in the combination, with a nail-machine, of inclined rolls for imparting a longitudinal and rotary movement tothe feed-rod, the rolls being mounted on a rocking frame, and devices for imparting motion from the cutterhead to the rolls and rocking frame, as will .hereinafter more fully appear.

I will now describe my invention, so that others skilled in the art may manufacture and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved nail-plate feeder. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the rotating mechanism. Fig. 3 is a rear elevation, partly broken away, of the rotating mechanism. Fig. 4 is a plan view, partly broken away, showing the position of the feedrolls. Fig. 5 is a detached view of two of the feed-rolls, showing the position of their axes. Fig. 6 is a detached view of the ratchet and lever. Fig. 7 is a detached view of the springguide andrest, and Fig. 8 is an end view of the combined bevel and spur wheel.

Like letters of reference indicate like parts wherever they occur. f

. The essential parts of my improved feeder are the feed-rolls, three in number, having their axes inclined to each other, and being mounted on an oscillating or rocking frame; a rod and lever pivotally joined, the lever being guided by an elliptical cam, so as to impart an oscillating movement to the frame from the movement of the cutter-head, and also imparta rotary movement to the rolls by means of a pawl and ratchet and a crown or bevel wheel, which meshes into a gear-wheel, which in turn meshes into gear-wheels on the roller, and removable feed-rods, which are fed longitudinally between the rolls and deliver or feed the plate to the cutter.

In the drawings, c represents the cutterhead of the nail-machine, which is operated by suitable power. Hinged to the top of the cutter-head is a rod, Z1, which extends forward n to the lever g, and is pivoted thereto. Along- -side of the forward end of the frame d is astationary standard, c.

. In the side of the standard c, near the top thereof, is an elliptical groove, e, the purpose of which is to guide the end of the lever-g where it is toggled to the rod b by means of a friction-rollen@secured to the side of the lever at the top thereof. Extending from the top of the standard c to the rod b, ata point lin rear of the friction-roller, is a coiled spring, f, which holds the lever and rod up and the friction-roller against the upper side of the elliptical groove during the forward movement of the lever and rod. The lower end of the lever g is pivoted to the housings in which the rolls are set by apin, which also passes through the bevel-wheel 7c, which is provided with bevel-gear on one face and a ratchet on the other. As the housings to which the end of the lever is pivoted are bolted to the oscillating frame, the frame will therefore oscillate vertically the same distance as the width of the cam or groove e.

On the side of the lever g next to the wheel k a pawl, n, is so pivoted that it will engage in the ratchet m on theupward movement of the cutter-head a, and will slip over the ratchet on the downward movement of the cutterhead and the forward movement of the rod b, and thereby give the wheel k a quarter-revolution.

Mounted in suitable housings, o, which are bolted to the 'oscillating frame d, is the combined bevel and spur wheel p, on the edge of which arel gear-teeth, the bevel-teeth meshing with the bevel-wheel 7c, while the gear-teeth mesh into the gear-wheels q, which are keyed to the rolls o' s. These rolls r s are journaled by means of pins or bolts t, passing through the curved slots u in the housings 0, and secured by nuts v, the points of the pins entering holes in the ends of the rolls. On the other side of the roll s is a gear-wheel, w, which meshes into the Agear-wheel on the roll s, and .lso into a similar gear-wheel on the roll x,

IOO

which roll is journaled or pivoted, similarly to the rolls 1' s, to arms extending from the housing i.

Between the housings o and housing i is ak space in which is placed a spring or piece of rubber, z. The purpose ofthe curved slots u is to allow of the axes of the rolls to be inclined to each other, more or less, by changing the position of the pins t therein. These rolls are arranged, two above and one below, side by side, their axes extending longitudinally on the oscillating frame d. In front of and in rear of these rolls, bolted to the frame d, are spring yokes or rests a. In these yokes and between the rolls r, s, and x is placed the feed-rod b', which is a round wooden or metal rod provided at one end with spring-jaws c.` Owing to the roll x being j ournaled to the housing t', which is separate from the housings 0,

the rolls :t and 7' may be sprung apart suflicie'ntly to admit the feed-rod between the rolls and below their axes, so that the circumferences of the three rolls will bear on the feed! rod, the roll x returning to its position after the rod has passedV its center, andthe spring or piece of rubber z, acting asa cushion, regulating the pressure of the rolls on the feed-rod.'

As the feed-rod b is not provided with a barrel or nose-piece, (these parts not being required,) in order to more eectually control `the plate when small nails are to be cut from a long crooked plate a finger, d', lmay be employed. "This finger is hinged at its lower end to the bed of the cutter, and is connectedwith the oscillating frame Z by the arm e, one endl of which is hinged to the upper part of the finger, while the otherrend is hinged to the oscillating frame d, so that when the fram'e d lrises the point of the finger is lowered and holds the plate while the nail is cut therefrom.

The operation is as follows:` A nail-plate;

` having been secured to the vend ofthe feed-rod,

the feed-rod is placed in the yokes a and between tlie rolls r, s, and m, the plate resting in front of the cutter. The cutter-head moving forward brings the cutter down on the plate f and cuts a nail therefrom. At the same tinie and by the same movement the rod b/moves forward, and the friction-roller moves along the upper edge of the elliptical groove e, be-

ing held up by the spring f. When the friction-roller reaches the end of the groove, the spring fV being shortened, the weight 'of the oscillating frame overcoming the tension of the spring, the friction-roller moves'downi onto the lower edge of the groove e.

At the l same time the cutter-head a moves back'y and draws thc friction-roller along the lower. edge of the groove, the endof the oscillating frame being gradually lowered, which raises the plate from the cutter.

At the same time,

'the lever g being drawn back, the pawl a engagesin the ratchet m and gives to the wheel 7c a quarter-revolution, which causes the rollers 1', s, and x to turn on their axes, yand thereby give the feed-roll a half` revolution orturn, and at the same time, owing to theinclination or angle of the rolls, feed the rod b and plate forward to the required position. friction-roller reaches the rear end of the groove c, the tension of the spring again overcomes the weight of the oscillating frame d, which is drawn up, and the plate is lowered, the cutter-head again descends, and another nail `is cut.l On this forward movement of the rod b and lever g, the pawl slips back until it is Vready to engage again with the ratchet m. As the oscillating frame d rises and the cutterhead descends the finger d is brought down 4onthe-plat-e, so as to hold it firmly in position.

Vhen the rod has been fed forward to the 'point of the nippers, it is removed from between the rolls if, s, and :v and the yokes a', and another rod to whichv a plate has been secured is put in its place. By altering the inclii'iation of the rolls to each other the forward feed of the rod will be increased or 'diminishe'd, and the size ofthe nails cut will be varied accordingly. Y

, Thejadvantages of my invention arethe vsimplicity and durability of the devices elnployed, the certain, regular, and rapid action of the feed, and the ease with which the ap-v paratus may be adjusted to cut nails of different'si'zes. Y 1 .Y y

l Having thus described my invention, what I claim, 'and desire to secure by Let-ters Patent,

l.y In a nail-plate" feeder, thecombination of three or more rolls having their axes inclined to each other, and a feed-rod, substantially as and for the purpose specified. v

-2. In a nail-plate feeder, the 'combination of three or more rolls having their axes inclined to each other, a feed-rod, and a rocking frame, substantially as and for the purpose specified. Y l Y i Y `3. In a nail-plate feeder, theombination of three or more rolls, having their axes inclined to` each other and mounted on a rocking frame, la feed-rod, and mechanism for imparting motion from the cutter-head tothe rolls and frame, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

4. In a nail-plate feeder, the combination of a removable feed-rod and three or more separable rolls having their axes inclined to each other, substantially as and for the purpose specified. Y

5. In a nail-plate feeder, the combination ofa rocking frame, afeed-rod, alever extending from 'the 'rocking frame, which lever is pivotallyV connected with a rod extending to the cutter-head, the lever being guided by a fixed elliptical groove or cam, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

'6. In a nail-plate feeder, the combination of a rocking frame Von which are mounted three or more feed-rolls having their axes in-M Then the 7o IIO is pivotally Connected with a rod extending to the Cutter-head, the lever being guided by a xed elliptical ezun, a pmvl and ratchet, and

gear-wheels for operating the rolls, substan- 5 tially :is and for the purpose specified.

7. In a nail-plate feeder, the combination of a feed-rod and feed-rolls, the rolls having their axes inclined to each other, and spring yokes or rests, substantially as and for the pur pose deseribed.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 11th day of June, A. D. 1883.

J UNIUS H. DUN BAR. Witnesses:

OWEN EVANS, FRANK J Aeons. 

